Create a Planning Cycle

Use the predefined planning cycle template called Default_PlanCycle to initially create a planning cycle. You can modify the planning cycle to model the activities, tasks, and participants that you want to use in your Sales and Operations Planning process.

Use links to associate a task with a relevant dashboard or report to carry out each task. You can link to graphs, tables, tile sets, and layouts. Use your user-defined planning cycle as a template for future planning cycles to copy over all activities, tasks, and participants.

Note: When you copy a planning cycle, changes that you made to that planning cycle's stage names and your choices to display stage names or not are copied over to the new planning cycle. Use the Configure Planning Cycle Stages dialog box to rename or display a review stage in your new planning cycle.

Follow these steps to create a planning cycle using the predefined Default_PlanCycle template:

1. Navigate to the Manage Planning Cycles page:

   1. In the Navigator, under Supply Chain Planning, click the Sales and Operations Planning work area link.

   2. In the Sales and Operations Planning work area, click the Tasks panel tab.

   3. In the Tasks panel drawer, under Planning Cycles, click the Manage Planning Cycles link.

2. On the Manage Planning Cycles page, in the Actions menu, select Create.

3. In the Create Planning Cycle dialog box, enter or select the following values:

   Field	Definition
   Planning Cycle to Copy	Select the planning cycle template from which to copy. Use the predefined planning cycle template called Default_PlanCycle to initially create a planning cycle.
   Planning Cycle	Enter a name for your planning cycle, such as: SOP FY2019 January.
   Description	Enter a description for the planning cycle that you are creating.
   Start Date	Enter a start date for your planning cycle in the following format: mm/dd/yy.
   End Date	Enter an end date for your planning cycle in the following format: mm/dd/yy.
   Plan	Select a sales and operations plan to associate with the current planning cycle. The link that you set up for an activity or task ties that report to the plan. You can select multiple plans. For example, you can select the current baseline plan and alternative plans under consideration for the current planning cycle.

4. When done entering or selecting values, click Save and Continue.

   The Manage Planning Cycles page, Product Review tab appears where you can configure your planning activities, tasks, and participants.

5. To create an activity, do the following:

   1. Click the Create icon and select Activity.

   2. In the Create Activity dialog box, enter or select the following values:

      Field	Description
      Title	Enter a title for your activity.
      Category	Displays the name of the planning cycle category, such as Product Review, Demand Review, Supply Review, and so on.
      Owner	Select the owner of the activity.
      Assignee	Select the assignee for the activity.
      Type	Select General or Meeting.
      Link	Select a table, graph, tile set, layout, or URL to which to link. The link that you set up for the activity ties that report to the plan.

   3. When done, click Save and Close to return to the Manage Planning Cycles page, Product Review tab.

6. To create a task, do the following:

   1. Click the Create icon and select Task.

   2. In the Create Task dialog box, enter or select the following values:

      Field	Description
      Activity Title	Select an activity to which to associate the task.
      Title	Enter a title for your task.
      Owner	Select the owner for the task.
      Assignee	Select the assignee for the task.
      Due Date	Select one of the following for a date by which the task must be completed: Offset days from cycle start: Enter the number of days from the start of the cycle. Fixed: Enter a specific date.
      Type	Select General or Meeting.
      Link	Select a table, graph, tile set, layout, or URL to which to link. The link that you set up for the task ties that report to the plan.

   3. When done, click Save and Close to return to the Manage Planning Cycles page, Product Review tab.

7. To configure the participants for your plan:

   1. Click the Edit icon to access the Participants: Product Review dialog box.

   2. Select participants and either add them to or delete them from the Participants list.

   3. When done, click Save and Close to return to the Manage Planning Cycles page, Product Review tab.

8. When you are done configuring the planning cycle for the Product Review stage, click the other tabs to configure the other stages: Demand Review, Supply Review, Financial Review, and Executive Review.

   Note: The Sales and Operations Planning process does not require you to have all of the review stages. If you do not have a product review or a formal executive review, then do not add any participants or tasks for those review stages.

9. When you have completed configuring the planning cycle for all stages, click Done.